The retreat was very long, and on October 18th they arrived at the shore of Lake Ontario.  Here Champlain requested that he might have a canoe and guides to conduct him to Quebec, and this was one of the conditions to which they had agreed before he set out for the war.  The Indians were not to be trusted, however, and they refused his request.  Champlain, therefore, resolved to accept the hospitality of Darontal, chief of the Arendarrhonons, or tribe de la Roche.  The chief appeared kindly disposed towards Champlain, and as it was the hunting season, he accompanied him on his excursions.  During one of these expeditions, Champlain lost his way in the pursuit of a strange bird, and he was not found by the savages until three days afterwards.  The return journey to Cahiague on foot was painful, and during the nineteen days thus spent, much hardship was undergone.  The party arrived at Cahiague on December 23rd, 1615.

In the course of the winter, Champlain was chosen to act as judge of a quarrel between the Algonquins of the Petite Nation, and the Hurons of the tribe de l’Ours, which had arisen over the murder of one of the Iroquois.  The Attignaouantans had committed an Iroquois prisoner to the custody of Iroquet, requesting him to burn him according to their custom.  Instead of carrying out this act, Iroquet had taken the young man and treated him as a son.  When the Attignaouantans were aware of this, they sent one of their number to murder the young Iroquois.  This barbarous conduct made the Algonquins indignant, and they killed the murderer.

Champlain returned from the Petuneux in company with Father Le Caron at the time when these crimes had just been committed.  Witnesses were summoned to meet Champlain at Cahiague, and were each examined.  The trial lasted two days, during which the old men of both nations were consulted, and the majority of them were favourable to a reconciliation without conditions.  Champlain exacted from them a promise that they would accept his decision as final, and he then had a full meeting of the two tribes assembled there.  Addressing them, he said: 

“You Algonquins, and you Hurons, have always been friends.  You have lived like brothers; you take this name in your councils.  Your conduct now is unworthy of reasonable men.  You are enough occupied in repelling your enemies, who have pursued you, who rout you as often as possible, pursuing you to your villages and taking you prisoners.  These enemies, seeing these divisions and wars among you, will be delighted and derive great advantage therefrom.  On account of the death of one man you will hazard the lives of ten thousand, and run the risk of being reduced to perpetual slavery.  Although in fact one man was of great value, you ought to consider how he has been killed; it was not with deliberate purpose, nor for the sake of inciting a civil war.  The Algonquins much regret all that has taken place, and if they had supposed such a thing would have happened, they would have sacrificed this Iroquois for the satisfaction of the Hurons.  Forget all, never think of it again, but live good friends as before.  In case you should not be pleased with my advice, I request you to come in as large numbers as possible, to our settlement, so that there, in presence of all the captains of vessels, the friendship might be ratified anew, and measures taken to secure you from your enemies.”